Effects of Substituting Pawpaw Fruit Puree for Fat on the Sensory

Properties of a Plain Shortened Cake

Tiffany D. Wiese and Melani W. Duffrin1

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. Asimina triloba, panel evaluation

SUMMARY. The pawpaw (Asimina triloba) is a 3- to 6-inch (7.6 to 15.2 cm) edible fruit that contains two
rows of almond-size seeds surrounded by yellow to orange-colored flesh, with the skin ranging from
green to yellow when ripe. The custard-like texture of the pawpaw fruit and its nutrient composition
makes it an excellent candidate as a fat-reducing agent in baked goods. Given the properties of the paw-
paw fruit, it may prove to be a favorable replacement for fat in various food formulations. The objective
of this study was to investigate the sensory properties of plain shortened cake (PSC) using pawpaw fruit
puree as a partial replacement for fat in the food formulation. The cakes were prepared by replacing
about 25%, 50%, and 75% of the fat with pawpaw fruit puree and were compared to a control using
100% vegetable shortening. The PSC samples were evaluated using untrained panelists (n=105) with
a scorecard using a hedonic scale to measure sensory characteristics. Mean scores suggested that panel-
ists liked all cake samples slightly to extremely. Panelists did not detect differences between the control
and 25% fat replacement sample for all sensory attributes. However, notable preference differences were
detected between the control and 25% samples and the 50% and 75% samples for the attributes of color,
texture, tenderness, and overall acceptability. Panelists indicated that 25% fat replacement with pawpaw
fruit puree is acceptable in a PSC formula. The notable differences in color, texture, tenderness, and
overall acceptability attributes may be overcome with further research and product development. High-
er levels of fat replacement may prove to be acceptable in other types of cake formulations and further
testing of the various varieties of pawpaw fruit as a fat-replacement in baked goods is warranted.

T
he pawpaw fruit is an oblong fruit ranging from 3 to
6 inches in length and contains one or two rows of
almond-size seeds surrounded by a soft, custard-like
flesh ranging in color from yellow to orange when ripe. The
pawpaw is the largest tree fruit native to the United States
and demonstrates potential as a fruit crop with commercial
value (Layne, 1996; Peterson, 1991; Pomper et al., 1999).
This hardy plant is well adapted to replace old crops that
are currently losing value with a new high-value crop. One
example of this is that pawpaw orchards could help tobacco
(Nicotiana tabacum) farmers to diversify and enhance con-
tinued, long-term viability (Layne, 1996). The growing
interest in the pawpaw amongst enthusiasts, entrepreneurs,
and consumers is raising a demand for more information
about uses for the fruit and agricultural production (Cosby,
2001).

School of Human and Consumer Sciences, Ohio University, W345 Grover Center, Athens, Ohio 45701.
We thank Ohio University, Vice President for Research Office and The College of Health and Human Services for
the support of this study. Also, Ohio University’s 2001 Experimental Foods class assisted with sample preparation,
recruitment of panelists, and testing. We would like to thank the course members Andrea Ambrosic, Kelly Dean,
Sara Gindlesperger, Stacy Hartman, Lisa Hindenlang, Megan McClincy, Danielle Robertson, Stephanie Sackett,
Caitlyn Walker, Brooke Wells, Kim Willard, and Sarah Wilks.
1
To whom reprint requests should be addressed; e-mail duffrinm@ohio.edu.

442 • July–September 2003 13(3)

 Duffrin et al. (2001) used pawpaw
fruit puree as a fat-reducing agent in
muffins, compared to muffins made
with applesauce and fat. These au-
thors found that muffins made with
pawpaw puree (≈91% fat replacement)
were equally acceptable to the other
muffins for all characteristics, with the
exception of appearance. The study
concluded that pawpaw fruit puree
had the potential as a carbohydrate-
based fat reducing agent in muffins
and suggested that it had the potential
to be used as a fat reducing agent in
other types of baked goods. Continued
investigation of pawpaw fruit puree as
a fat-reducing agent in baked goods
develops an area of potential use for this
product and provides consumers with
another product option that could be
used to lower dietary fat intake.
Hydrogenated vegetable oil is
used in a plain shortened cake food
formulation (Penfield and Campbell,
1990) and contributes to the sensory
qualities of flavor, tenderness, and
color (Swanson and Munsayac, 1999)
in the finished cake product. Although
these characteristics are desired in the
finished cake product, the trans fatty
acid intake associated with the use of
hydrogenated vegetable oil is not a desir-
able component of a heart healthy diet.
Trans fatty acids have been found to be
a contributor to heart disease by increas-
ing blood cholesterol levels (Jacobs and
Murtaugh, 2000; Weisburger, 1997).
Many fruit such as apples (Ma-
lus ×sylvestris var. domestica), prunes
(Prunus domestica), (Swanson and
Munsayac, 1999) and pawpaws (Duf-
frin et al., 2001) have been used as a
fat-reducing agent in baked goods. Us-
ing a carbohydrate-based fat-reducing
agent in a plain shortened cake would
produce a food formulation lower in
trans fatty acids, total fat, and calo-
ries. The objective of this study was
to investigate the effects of substitut-
Table 1. Formulations and nutrition analysis of the full-fat plain shortened cake (100%) and the three variations (25%, 50%,
and 75%) of fat replacement with pawpaw fruit puree.
Control
z
Ingredients
Shortening 120 g (1/2 cup)
Pawpaw puree ---
Nutritional analysisy
Energy (kcal) 213
Energy from fat (%) 44.4
z
Ingredients which did not change: cake flour 156 g (1 1/3 cup); baking powder 5.8 g (1 3/4 teaspoon); salt 3 g (1/2 teaspoon); vanilla 2.4 mL (1.2 teaspoon); milk 158
mL (2/3 cup); shortening 120 g (1/2 cup); sugar 200 g (1 cup); egg 56 g (1 large).
y
Calculated based on a 59-g (2.1-oz) serving using Nutritionist Pro 2002 (First Data Bank, San Bruno, Calif.); 1 kcal = 4184.2 J.
• July–September 2003 13(3)
ing varying levels of hydrogenated
vegetable oil with pawpaw fruit puree
on the sensory properties of a plain
shortened cake.
Materials and methods
Cakes were prepared using a
plain shortened cake recipe modified
from Penfield and Campbell (1990).
The conventional method of mixing
was used to prepare the cake batter.
The cakes were prepared by replacing
about 25%, 50%, and 75% of the fat
with pawpaw fruit puree (Integration
Acres, Albany, Ohio) and compared to a
control using 100% vegetable shorten-
ing. With the exception of the pawpaw,
all ingredients were obtained from a
local supermarket. The cake formula-
tions are listed in Table 1.
All dry ingredients and eggs were
weighed using an electronic scale (Ac-
culab Inc., Newton, Pa.) accurate to
0.1 g. The milk was measured in a
50-mL graduated cylinder and the
vanilla was measured in a 10-mL
graduated cylinder. The flour, baking
powder, and salt were sifted together
in a medium-mixing bowl. The vanilla
was added to the milk. A handheld
electric mixer (model 62520; Hamil-
ton Beach, Picton, Ont., Canada) was
used at a speed of 3 for all mixing. The
shortening was creamed for 1 min and
the sugar was added and mixed for an
additional min. Egg was then added
to the creamed mixture and mixed for
an additional 2 min. One-third of the
flour mixture and one-third of the milk
was added and mixed for 45 s, this
was repeated twice. The mixing times
were kept consistent for each sample
preparation. The batter was poured
into aluminum anodized round cake
pans [5.1 cm (2 inches) deep and 20.3
cm (8 inches) diameter (Marpol Inc.,
Rock Falls, Ill.] that were lightly coated
with vegetable oil spray. The samples
were baked at 176.7 °C (350 °F) for
25%
90 g (3/8 cup)
32 g (1/8 cup)
186
35.1
35 min and were removed from the
pans after cooling for 15 min.
Cake samples [2.5 cm (1 inch)
square] were place on individually
coded, square sampling dishes. The
four samples were placed on a tray
and simultaneously presented to the
panelists. Samples were tasted in ran-
dom order. Participants were provided
with tepid (room temperature) water
to cleanse the palate between samples.
A scorecard with a hedonic scale was
used to rate each cake sample for color,
flavor, texture, tenderness, aftertaste,
and overall acceptability. The scale was
composed of eight choices ranging
from 1 = like extremely, to 8 = dislike
extremely.
A sample of untrained, volunteer,
adult consumer panelists (n = 105) were
invited from the university campus
to participate in sensory evaluation
of the cake samples. Panelists were
given information, both verbally and
in writing, about the expectations of
their participation in the study. After
signing a participation consent form,
panelists were seated at individual test-
ing stations with standard fluorescent
light and given a scorecard with written
instructions asking them to rate their
cake samples. Descriptive statistics,
analysis of variance (ANOVA), and
post-hoc analysis (Tukey’s honestly
significant difference) were completed
using the Statistical Package for the
Social Sciences (SPSS, Chicago); P <
0.05 was considered significant.
Results and discussion
Mean scores suggested that pan-
elists liked all cake samples to some
degree (slightly to extremely) (Table
2). The 25% sample received more fa-
vorable mean ratings in the categories
of flavor and texture, although panel-
ists detected no differences between the
control and 25% fat replacement sample
for all sensory attributes. ANOVA of
50% 75%
60 g (1/4 cup) 30 g (1/8 cup)
64 g (1/4 cup) 96 g (3/8 cup)
173 153
29.2 18.6
443
Table 2. Consumer evaluation of sensory characteristics of plain shortened cakes with 25%, 50%, and 75% of the fat substi-
tuted with pawpaw puree and a control cake.z,y
Color
Control 2.5 ax
25% pawpaw 2.6 a
50% pawpaw 3.3 b
75% pawpaw 3.5 b
z
1 = like extremely, 2 = like very much, 3 = like moderately, 4 = like slightly, 5 = dislike slightly, 6 = dislike moderately, 7 = dislike very much, 8 = dislike extremely.
y
n = 105.
x
Means with different letters in the same column are significantly different at P < 0.05. The mean of each sample is compared with the mean of each of the other samples
independently with Tukey’s honestly significant difference.
data (P < 0.05) indicated that there
were significant differences amongst
samples primarily in the categories of
color, texture, tenderness, and overall
acceptability. The differences were
notable between the control and 25%
samples and the 50% and 75% samples.
Sensory evaluation scores are summa-
rized in Table 2.
Overall data suggested that a 25%-
fat-replacement with pawpaw fruit is ac-
ceptable in a plain shortened cake food
formulation. The majority of significant
differences detected were between the
control and 25% samples and the 50%
and 75% samples. The increased re-
placement of fat in the cake samples
resulted in a reduced preference for the
categories of color, texture, tenderness,
and overall acceptability. This is con-
sistent with Swanson and Munsayac’s
(1999) description of the functionality
of fat in baked products.
The nutrient composition and the
color of the pawpaw fruit contribute to
the color of the final cake product. The
results showed that the preference for
the color of the cake decreased with
the greater addition of the pawpaw
fruit. This is consistent with Duffrin et
al. (2001) findings in muffins. A dif-
ference was detected in the panelists’
appearance ratings of the muffins made
with pawpaw. Because pawpaws range
in color from yellow to orange based
on the variety type of the fruit, test-
ing different varieties of pawpaw fruit
(Pomper et al., 1999) particularly those
lighter in color, as a fat replacement is
warranted.
The decreased preference for the
texture and tenderness of the samples
made with a higher percentage of fat
444
Flavor Texture
3.2 ab 3.2 b
3.1 b 3.0 b
3.7 a 4.5 a
3.4 ab 4.1 a
replacement was due to the decrease
in the amount of fat in this particular
food formulation. Fat is a vital ingredi-
ent in baked goods, providing flavor
and mouthfeel as well as contributing to
appearance, texture, and tenderness of
the product (Zoulias et al., 2000). The
expectation for this product was a light
and fluffy cake, the higher percentages
of fat replaced resulted in a reduction
of these characteristics. The influence
on the color, texture, and tenderness
appeared to influence the preference
ratings for the category of overall ac-
ceptability. Participants preferred the
control and 25% samples in this food
formulation.
A high percentage of fat replace-
ment with pawpaw fruit puree in a plain
shortened cake recipe did not produce
an ideal product. In examining Duf-
frin et al. (2001) muffin formulation,
it appears that some fat is required in a
food formulation along with pawpaw
fruit puree for a desirable product. This
point warrants further investigation in
determining appropriate proportions
of fat substitution using pawpaw fruit
puree in a variety of baked good food
formulations.
In conclusion, the results obtained
from this study are useful for informing
consumers about the potential uses of
pawpaw fruit as a carbohydrate-based
fat-reducing agent in baked products.
Food and nutrition professionals can
educate their clients about the added
benefits of substituting some of the
hydrogenated vegetable oil in recipes
with pawpaw fruit puree. The benefits
of using pawpaw as fat-reducing agent
include: less trans fatty acids and total
fat in the baked good, less calories, and
added nutritional benefits.
Overall
Tenderness Aftertaste acceptability
3.0 b 3.2 a 3.1 b
3.0 b 3.3 ab 3.1 b
4.4 a 3.7 ab 4.0 a
4.0 a 3.7 b 3.7 a
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